To highlight the success stories emerging from the Aquabiz School and Technology Business Incubation (ABS-TBI) program of the Department of Agriculture–National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI), a writeshop was held on November 18–19, 2025, at the NFRDI Central Office in Visayas Avenue, Quezon City.

“Throughout the implementation of this program, I have consistently emphasized the importance of documenting how our introduced Package of Technology (POT) has transformed the production and income of our incubatees. This writeshop is our way of ensuring that these successes are captured as compelling stories and shared with our stakeholders,” said Dr. Maria Theresa Mutia, NFRDI executive director and ABS-TBI program supervisor.

“This will also serve as an institutional memory for NFRDI, capturing not just the POT, but also best practices and milestones that can inspire future incubatees and partners,” added Dr. Mudjekeewis Santos, Scientist V and chief of the Training Division (TD).

The two-day writeshop featured a series of presentations and workshops. Dr. Joseph Christopher Rayos, chief of the Aquaculture Research and Development Division (ARRDD), presented the overview and accomplishments of the ABS-TBI program, highlighting key achievements since its inception in 2022.

The book project’s rationale, packaging, and production timeline were presented by Rita dela Cruz, assistant division chief of the Training Division. She emphasized the value of visual storytelling as a science communication strategy. “These stories need to have a soul if we want them to truly reach our intended audience. They should not simply report increased income or production, but narrate the experiences and the journey that led to those achievements,” she said.

A criteria-setting session, led by Cyrenes Moncawe, chief of the TD-Education Section, outlined the selection parameters for incubatees to be featured in the book. “We will be using these criteria to define what ‘success’ means within NFRDI’s technology adoption initiatives and to ensure a standardized, objective lens in recognizing which interventions have created meaningful and sustainable change,” she explained.

Joey Caser, chief of the TD-Training Section, facilitated the discussion of the work and financial plan as well as the team composition. He also presented the synthesis and agreements, which culminated in three key outputs: (1) the final list of incubatees to be featured in the book, (2) the book’s concept outline, and (3) the timeline and corresponding deliverables.

Closing the activity, Dr. Rayos underscored the significance of the writeshop in supporting NFRDI’s strategic goals. “This is the first time we will be packaging a program into a coffee table book, and beginning with the ABS-TBI program is a meaningful milestone. This effort will continue as we aim not only to highlight successes, but also to encourage the replication and scaling up of effective aquabusiness models,” he concluded.

Organized by TD, the writeshop was attended by focal persons from the four NFRDI Centers that serve as aquabiz schools for the program: Freshwater Fisheries Research and Development Center, Fisheries Biotechnology Center, Marine Fisheries Research and Development Center, and Brackishwater Fisheries Research and Development Center.

NFRDI is set to publish the coffee table book during the 12th Fisheries Scientific Conference in 2027. ### (Rita dela Cruz)